1. Scope of Invention
This invention relates generally to pie baking, and more particularly to a reusable shield for protecting the outer edge of a pie crust during baking.
2. Prior Art
The problem of overbaking and burning or charring the outer edge of a pie crust is well known. This occurs because the pie crust edge is very thin compared to the overall thickness of the main potion of the pie.
A number of prior art devices have addressed this problem. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,728,957 wherein Polus has invented a baking shield which extends peripherally around the pie pan and has an outer member of flexible foil sheeting which is folded around the outer edge of the pie pan to protect overbaking the pie crust periphery.
Another pie crust guard was invented by Alexander as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 2,257,408 directed to a transversely split ring member of continuous nature wherein the overlapping split ends supposedly accommodate various pie pan diameters. However, because of the continuous nature of the inwardly extending flange, precise fitting onto any range of pie pan diameters is not accomplished.
Houston, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,834,402 teaches a pie plate attachment consisting of a metal ring adapted to be removably mounted on the rim of the pie plate. The metal ring comprises a continuous strip of metal bent into a circular form and having its ends joined to form a complete ring, thus rendering the device non-adjustable and including additional structural features distinguished from the present invention.
Another pie crust shield is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,884 by Terrell teaching a protective shield comprising at least four separate flexible arcuate segments which slip over the edge of the pie tin to prevent the edge of the crust from overcooking.
Other devices which generally address this same problem are disclosed in the following U.S. Patents:
______________________________________ Blynt 835,212 Scott 1,375,539 Sabin 843,109 Anderson D303,908 McLaughlin 1,180,782 ______________________________________
The present invention provides a pie crust baking shield for protecting the outer edge portion of a preselected range of standard pie crust diameters and is easily flexibly deformable to the appropriate preselected pie diameter. Having a segmented inwardly extending pie crust edge flange facilitates contouring the device to exactly conform to each particular pie crust diameter so that the outer edge of the pie crust is fully and continuously protected.